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Chinese giant salamnader emerging from amongst underwater rocks

Chinese giant salamander

Chinese giant salamanders are the largest of the world's salamanders and can reach 1.8m in length. Despite this, their tadpoles are only 3cm long.

Scientific name: Andrias davidianus

Rank: Species

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Distribution

Map showing the distribution of the Chinese giant salamander taxa

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.

The Chinese giant salamander can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, China. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Chinese giant salamander distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Decreasing

Year assessed: 2004

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander and largest amphibian in the world, reaching a length of 180 cm (6 ft), although it rarely – if ever – reaches that size today. It is endemic to rocky, mountain streams and lakes in China, as well as Taiwan, probably as a result of introduction. It is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and overcollection, as it is considered a delicacy and used in folk medicine. It has been listed as one of the top 10 "focal species" in 2008 by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) project.

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Classification

  1. Life
  2. Animals
  3. Vertebrates
  4. Amphibians
  5. Salamanders
  6. Cryptobranchidae
  7. Asian giant salamanders
  8. Chinese giant salamander

BBC News about Chinese giant salamander

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